Psychological Services and Intervention Services will be repeating the criminogenic (crime causing behaviour) programme for women first trialled in 2004 at Arohata Women’s Prison.
The women offenders who participated in the pilot named the programme Kowhiritanga (Making Choices). The 10- week programme will again be offered, initially at Arohata.
The programme is aimed at women offenders with identified criminogenic needs.
Over 40 sessions, participants explore how propensity to violence, antisocial attitudes, emotions, self-control, self-management, problem solving, relationship difficulties, substance abuse and victimisation issues relate to their offending.
The design of the programme took into account research indicating the majority of criminogenic needs that apply to men are the same for women. However, research also suggests female offenders have additional emotional and personal needs as well as significant victimisation and abuse issues.
An important difference is the use of elements of dialectical behaviour therapy - an approach for treating individuals who exhibit severe emotional and behavioural problems.
Fifty-five percent of women prisoners are Maori, highlighting the importance of considering Maori cultural values in the programme. The programme uses parallels between the strengths and weaknesses of various Maori legendary characters, and the strengths and weaknesses that the prisoners experience in their own lives.
The 2004 pilot was carried out with 10 prisoners from a variety of ethnicities, including Maori, Cook Island, Samoan and Pakeha ranging in age from 19 to 42 years. Their offences ranged from violence to fraud, drugs and property crimes.
Several modifications were made to the programme’s content as a result of the trial. These included reorganising the programme and cultural content within sessions. Further editing was undertaken to ensure proper use of te reo in all documents.
“We found that the programme is best delivered by women facilitators, given the focus on issues related to women,” says Senior Psychologist Lucy King, who led the design of the pilot.
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ISSN 1178-8453